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Skylab Observations of Comet
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| Name of Image |
Skylab Observations of Comet Kohoutek |
| Date of Image |
1974-01-01 |
| Full Description |
This montage is an artist's conception of progressive views of the Comet Kohoutek based on sketches and a description by Skylab-4 astronaut Edward Gibson. An early discovery of a large comet in an orbit that would reach close to the Sun at the end of 1973 prompted NASA to initiate Operation Kohoutek, a program to coordinate widespread observations of the comet from ground observatories, aircraft, balloons, rockets, unmarned satellites, and Skylab. |
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Sketches of Comet Kohoutek b
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| Name of Image |
Sketches of Comet Kohoutek by Astronaut Gibson |
| Date of Image |
1974-01-01 |
| Full Description |
This pencil sketch of the Comet Kohoutek made by Skylab-4 astronaut Edward Gibson illustrates the crew's collective impressions of the comet's appearance on December 29, 1973. An early discovery of a large comet in an orbit that would reach close to the Sun at the end of 1973 prompted NASA to initiate Operation Kohoutek, a program to coordinate widespread observations of the comet from ground observatories, aircraft, balloons, rockets, unmarned satellites, and Skylab. |
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Efforts to Salvage the Damag
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| Name of Image |
Efforts to Salvage the Damaged Skylab at the Marshall Space Flight Center |
| Date of Image |
1973-05-01 |
| Full Description |
Sixty-three seconds after the launch of the modified Saturn V vehicle carrying the Skylab cluster, engineers in the operation support and control center saw an unexpected telemetry indication that signalled that damages occurred on one solar array and the micrometeoroid shield during the launch. Still unoccupied, the Skylab was stricken with the loss of the heat shield and sunlight beat mercilessly on the lab's sensitive skin. Internal temperatures soared, rendering the the station uninhabitable, threatening foods, medicines, films, and experiments. The launch of the first marned Skylab (Skylab-2) mission was delayed until methods were devised to repair and salvage the workshop. Personnel from other NASA Centers and industries quickly joined the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in efforts to save the damaged Skylab. They worked day and night for the next several days. Eventually the MSFC developed, tested, rehearsed, and approved three repair options. These options included a parasol sunshade and a twin-pole sunshade to restore the temperature inside the workshop, and a set of metal cutting tools to free the jammed solar panel. This photograph was taken during a discussion of the methods of the twin-pole Sun shield by (left to right) Astronaut Alan Bean, MSFC Director Dr. Rocco Petrone, Astronaut Edward Gibson, and MSFC engineer Richard Heckman. Dr. William Lucas, who became MSFC Director after Dr. Petrone left MSFC in March of 1974, is standing. |
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